Empathy and assertiveness in educational communication

Abstract

Education is carried out primarily through the direct contact of the teacher with the pupil, and is mainly based on the modeling method, i.e. imitating the behavior and attitudes of adults by children and youth. Education, however, requires also the ability to communicate with the pupil, because only then have  adults the chance to understand the meaning of the words and deeds of their pupils. The present paper presents two basic competences in educational communication. The first competence is empathy, or the ability to accurately understand or feel what the pupil is experiencing subjectively: his thoughts, desires and fears as well as his unique existential situation. The other one – assertiveness - is the ability to openly communicate one’s needs and emotions so that the pupil has a chance to better understand their educators and make use of their presence in a more mature way.